diff --git a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/adopt.go b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/adopt.go
index 5f1a8aeb..2e6e998b 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/adopt.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/adopt.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ type Adoption struct {
 // adoptionKept is what the vault keeps of its last adoption, for its tools and to skip a have that says the same.
 type adoptionKept struct {
 	last   *Adoption
-	handed string // the From and To of the handing last adopted with nothing refused
+	handed string // the From and To of the handing last taken in a complete pass
 	failed string // why the last look found nothing to adopt, or ""
 }
 
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ func (v *Vault) AdoptNow(caller string) (Adoption, error) {
 	return v.AdoptFrom(node, raw, someoneOr(caller, "a tool"), true)
 }
 
-// AdoptFrom adopts from the have of the bus module on node: unless force, nothing when it hands what the last adoption
-// took whole.
+// AdoptFrom adopts from the have of the bus module on node: unless force, nothing when it hands what the last complete
+// adoption took.
 func (v *Vault) AdoptFrom(node string, raw []byte, by string, force bool) (Adoption, error) {
 	a, err := v.adopt(node, raw, by, force)
 	v.mu.Lock()
@@ -207,11 +207,11 @@ func (v *Vault) adopt(node string, raw []byte, by string, force bool) (Adoption,
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if len(a.Refused) == 0 {
-		v.mu.Lock()
-		v.adoption.handed = handed
-		v.mu.Unlock()
-	}
+	// A complete pass, refusals and all: the same handing is not opened again at the next change of the have (a
+	// refused user stays refused until the list changes, and the last adoption names it).
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	v.adoption.handed = handed
+	v.mu.Unlock()
 	return a, nil
 }
 
@@ -266,6 +266,9 @@ func (v *Vault) adoptionSaid() map[string]any {
 	v.mu.Lock()
 	defer v.mu.Unlock()
 	out := map[string]any{"last": v.adoption.last}
+	if v.adoption.last != nil && len(v.adoption.last.Refused) > 0 {
+		out["refused"] = v.adoption.last.Refused
+	}
 	if v.adoption.failed != "" {
 		out["why"] = v.adoption.failed
 	}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/tools_test.go b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/tools_test.go
index 14cd215b..415bf5d9 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/tools_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/tools_test.go
@@ -235,10 +235,14 @@ func TestSecretOwnListsFingerprintsOfOwnSecretsOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	sealedTo := v.Own.PublicKey
 	have := func() []byte {
 		var accounts []delivery.HandedAccount
-		for _, u := range []string{"controller", "node.ace", "g14.dunst"} {
-			accounts = append(accounts, delivery.HandedAccount{User: u, Hash: handing[u]})
+		for _, u := range []string{"controller", "node.ace", "g14.dunst", "bad.user"} {
+			if hash, ok := handing[u]; ok {
+				accounts = append(accounts, delivery.HandedAccount{User: u, Hash: hash})
+			}
 		}
-		handed, err := delivery.HandAccounts(accounts, sealedTo, "sha256:"+handing["node.ace"][7:15], time.Now())
+		// The list's digest, as the node says it: another list (another hash or user) is another digest.
+		list, _ := json.Marshal(accounts)
+		handed, err := delivery.HandAccounts(accounts, sealedTo, Fingerprint(string(list)), time.Now())
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -300,6 +304,17 @@ func TestSecretOwnListsFingerprintsOfOwnSecretsOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	if acc.keys["g14.dunst"] != dunst {
 		t.Errorf("a user whose value the vault holds was adopted over: %+v", acc.keys["g14.dunst"])
 	}
+	// A refused user is named in the last adoption, and the same handing is not opened again at the next change.
+	sealedTo, handing["bad.user"] = v.Own.PublicKey, "not-bcrypt"
+	if a, err := v.AdoptFrom("novox", have(), "the watch", false); err != nil || a.Refused["bad.user"] == "" || a.Handed != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("a refused user: %+v, %v", a, err)
+	}
+	if a, err := v.AdoptFrom("novox", have(), "the watch", false); err != nil || !a.At.IsZero() {
+		t.Fatalf("the same handing was opened again after a refusal: %+v, %v", a, err)
+	}
+	if said := v.adoptionSaid(); said["refused"] == nil {
+		t.Errorf("the refusal is not said: %v", said)
+	}
 	if _, err := v.AdoptFrom("ace", have(), "the test", true); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "does not hold the bus") {
 		t.Errorf("a handing from a node not holding the bus: %v", err)
 	}